Football in Sheffield

Sheffield has a very long association with the profession of football home to one of the founding members of the football league, Sheffield FC, who are the oldest team in the world as well as the second oldest team in the world, Hallam FC. Both still exist today and have a lot of respect in footballing circles but have not developed into the professional game and compete in non-league football. The more recent additions are the household names of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday who have also added to the rich footballing tapestry of Sheffield. Recently however Sheffield has fallen upon harder times and the fortunes of both its most famous teams has diminished alongside its declining industries. Having both enjoyed time in football’s top flight and now united find themselves in the championship and Wednesday in League 1. Although not the most northern city geographically, Sheffield appeals to the ideals associated with sport in the north: strong links between its football team and the local industry, passionate sets of fans that are often from a working class background and the community created around their team. As a city it also dispels the myths of northern collectiveness as even across a city rivalry between two football teams can divide and conquer as can be seen in the steel city Derby.

Sheffield played a crucial role in the history of the sport now recognised internationally as football. Although there are records dating back earlier to sports sounding similar in description being played in Chine, Rome, and Greece, England is where the game played today was formed. Sheffield had an important role to play in this formation. Sheffield FC was the first association football club, and played at what is England's oldest football stadium (Hallam, which is still open today). This site is a selection of articles written by Hallam University Students detailing the origins, and impact of football in the city of Sheffield.